Bluffton works on next affordable housing plan

Byline2:

Savannah

Three years ago, Bluffton took on some risks for a good cause as it broke ground on the Wharf Street redevelopment project.

With the help of federal stimulus money, the town undertook a $1.2 million project to demolish two blighted structures and replace them with a six-home affordable housing development. The houses were offered to first-time buyers earning less than $39,100 as a single person or a family of four whose household income was $55,850 or less.

The project had its critics, who argued it would have been better left to the private sector, and it was challenging to find buyers at first. But by the end of last year, the town sold all six houses and had $50,000 left to invest in other affordable housing plans.

Town staff is almost ready to present the next big project and the initial plans seem to reveal Bluffton learned some important lessons from the Wharf Street redevelopment. That give us reason to believe the Small Home Series, which Town Council could consider next month, can be even more successful if it is implemented properly.

The town would take a more hands-off approach with this project, which would allow residents to demolish their mobile homes and replace them with new modular ones. Rather than build homes and seek buyers itself, the town would sell home designs to residents and apply for grant money to assist with the construction costs.

Applicants would have to be Bluffton residents, who could choose from 22 designs ranging from a one-bedroom, 600-square-foot home to a four-bedroom, 2,000-square-foot home. Five of the designs were used in the Wharf Street project.

To be eligible, residents could not make more than 120 percent of the area’s annual median income, which was $80,400 for a family of four under last year’s U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development figures. Buyers would have to pay at least 60 percent of the costs and tear down their old mobile homes once the modular ones are completed.

The project would give residents greater access to affordable housing while encouraging the demolition of blighted structures around town. Those are the sorts of goals town staff, council and the affordable housing committee should be working toward together.

Most of the homes would be placed in a few target areas, according to town staff, including Old Town, Goethe Road and Buck Island and Simmonsville roads. A recent survey of Old Town revealed at least 59 homes that could be replaced.

Town Councilman Fred Hamilton, who chairs the committee, summed up the town’s affordable housing goals well last week.

“I think our focus needs to be on helping people become homeowners and achieve the American Dream,” he said. “There are a lot of other people who may own properties, but they can’t afford to build something better. We’d like to give those people some more options.”

While we look forward to hearing all the details next month, it sounds like the Small Home Series is designed to do exactly that — while putting less onus on town staff to manage the individual projects.

Wharf Street redevelopment was a Bluffton success story. We are pleased to see our officials taking elements of it and applying them to the rest of the town.